Hen s nest



(No Model.)

B. J. DOWNING.

HBNS NEST.

No. 271,318. Patented Jan. 30, 1883 my WITNESSES INVE'NTOR.

2 ATTORNEYS.

N. PETERS. PlwtO-Lilhogriphar. Wnshingmn. D. c.

Fries,

PATENT BURTON J. DOYVNING, OF SEELY, KANSAS.

H ENS NEST.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 271,318, dated January 30, 1883.

' Application filed October 2, 188:2. (NomodelJ V i To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, BURTON J. Downnve, of Seely, in the county of Oowley and State of Kansas, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Hens Nests; and I do hereby declare that the following is afull, clear, and exact description of the invention, which will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, which form a part of this specification, and in which- I Figure l'is a perspective view of my improved hens nest. Fig.2is a longitudinalvertical section of the same,and Fig. Sis adetail view of one end of the tilting bar with its actuating-spring.

Similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts in all the figures.

My improvement has relation to that class of nests or coops for setting hens inwhich a pivoted or suspended door is arranged at the entrance of the nest or coop in such a manner that but one hen can enter and sit upon the nest at one time, the object being to prevent hens laying eggs in the nests of sitting hens, and also to prevent one hen from. driving another off the nest.

My improvement consists in the arrangement of the hinged door and its actuatingspring in such a mannerthat all jar is avoided in opening or closing the door, and in providing means for locking the door in its closed position when it is desired to confine ihe'hen, or the chickens after these have been batched, in the coop.

In the accompanying drawings, A is a box or coop, open at the bottom and at one end,

and of sufiicient size to cover a hens nest when placed over it.

In the upper corner of the forward or open end'of the box is journaled a rock-shaft or tilting bar, B, which is made square in crosssection, (except its journals,) and is provided with two sets of fingers, (shown at O and D,) one set being fixed in bar B at right angles to the other.

On one side of the box, on the inside, is fixed a spring, E, the free end of which bears against the appropriate square end of the tilting bar B, which, to prevent wear of the cor- -ner bearing against the spring, is provided with a shoe or chafing-plate, F, of metal.

G is a rod, which is inserted removably through the sides of the box, near the top, back of the tilting bar or finger-bar B. In one of thesides of the box is an aperture closed by a hinged door, H.

It will be seen that when the fingers O and D are in the position shown in full line in Fig.1 and in dotted lines in Fig. 2 the hen can enter the nest from the outside, the bar easily yielding by pressure on the fingers I), when the spring comes into play and works the bar around one -fourth of a revolution, which throws fingers D up against the rod or cross-pin G and brings fingers 0 down in front of the nest-box, so as to close it. In this position of the door the hen can easily get out, as fingers G will'yield to pressure from within; but as they cannot yield to pressure from without no other hen can enter the nest. If, however, it is desired to confine the hen or young chickens in the coop, the door is fixed by removing rod G and reinserting it underneath the upper fingers, D, when fingers U, forming the door, can be moved neither forward nor back.

The advantage of using a spring instead of a counterpoise for actuating the finger-bar is that the nest is notjarred by the connterpoise striking against it in tilting the finger-bar forward or back, which is apt to break or otherwise injure the eggs deposited in the nest, so as to make them unfit for hatching, the spring working the bar easy and withoutjar or concussion ofany kind. By opening the hinged door H the eggs can be reached at any time andtaken out for inspection without disturbing the door.

I am aware of the Patent No. 52,675, to 0. Campbell, dated February 20, 1866, and I do not claim anything therein described and shown; but

What I claim as my improvement, and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States, is-- 1. The combination of the nest-box A, square finger bar 13, having chafing plate F, and In testimony that Iclaim the foregoing as my spring E, substantially as and for the purpose own I have hereunto affixed my signature in shownand set forth. presence of two witnesses.

2. The combination of the nest-box A, tilt- BURTON J. DOWNING.

5 ing bar B, having sets of fingers O and D, and Witnesses:

removable locking-rod G, substantially as and JAMES S. ROTHROCK, for the purpose shown and set forth. LOUIS T. JACKSON. 

